Favre Won’t Miss Time Because of Injured Knee

Brett Favre won’t need an operation on his sprained left knee, and since Green Bay has a bye this week, the Packers’ quarterback shouldn’t have to sit out any games.

Favre has a string of 164 consecutive starts, an NFL record for a quarterback.

“I think he probably would have been able to play the game, but I probably would have held him out,” Coach Mike Sherman said Monday.

Sherman said he expects Favre to start against Miami on Nov. 4.

An MRI exam confirmed the team’s original diagnosis of a sprained lateral collateral ligament, but the exam showed no structural damage.

The Packers ordered a knee brace for the three-time league most valuable player, who was injured Sunday during the third quarter of Green Bay’s 30-9 victory over Washington.

Favre, who owns the longest current starting streak in the league, regardless of position, won’t practice until the team returns from a long weekend that starts Friday.

*

Quincy Carter is out and Chad Hutchinson is in as Dallas’ starting quarterback.

The Cowboys made the switch one day after Carter had four passes intercepted in the Cowboys’ 9-6 overtime loss at Arizona.

Hutchinson has not played a down in the NFL and last played as a sophomore at Stanford. He returned to football last summer after playing professional baseball for four years.

*

Tampa Bay quarterback Brad Johnson has a fractured left rib and is doubtful for Sunday’s game against Carolina.

Johnson was hurt during the first quarter of the Buccaneers’ 20-10 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday, but he didn’t come out until midway through the fourth quarter.

If he is not ready to play Sunday, he will be replaced by backup Rob Johnson.

“I don’t want to say he’s out, but it does look like he’s doubtful for this game,” Coach Jon Gruden said.

*

Carolina quarterback Chris Weinke spent Sunday night in a hospital in Charlotte, N.C., because of a concussion, leaving the Panthers with rookie Randy Fasani as their only healthy option for their game against Tampa Bay.

Weinke was knocked out of Carolina’s loss to Atlanta. Coach John Fox said he didn’t know if Weinke would be able to face the Buccaneers.

“I can’t speak hypothetically, but right now he’s not healthy,” Fox said. “So Randy right now would be our starter going into the week.”

*

Washington Coach Steve Spurrier switched starting quarterbacks for the third time this season, promoting Shane Matthews and benching rookie Patrick Ramsey for the Redskins’ game against Indianapolis on Sunday.

Spurrier said he expects Matthews to finish the season, although he had said the same thing about Ramsey.

“Overall, we believe Shane Matthews gives our team the best chance to win games,” Spurrier said.

*

Tennessee cornerback Samari Rolle was fined $7,500 by the NFL for a helmet-to-helmet hit that left Jacksonville quarterback Mark Brunell with a concussion Oct. 13.

Brunell played one more series, then left with a headache.

*

Oakland rookie cornerback and punt returner Phillip Buchanon, who broke his left wrist against San Diego, had surgery and will be sidelined eight weeks....Denver center Tom Nalen is out for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Kansas City....St. Louis cornerback Aeneas Williams had surgery for torn ligaments in his left ankle and is out for the season. He was injured against Seattle....Minnesota running back Doug Chapman was hospitalized because of abdominal pain and internal bleeding, and was to be kept overnight for observation.